The role that research plays in driving organizational growth cannot be overstated. Through research, organizations are able to gain deeper insights into the issues that are plaguing them. Research also makes it possible for firms to adopt best practices in a bid to enhance performance and drive success. The critical role that research plays in enhancing organizational performance is the primary rationale for conducting research on Welch Middle School. In the past, this school has faced serious challenges that have threatened its future. The school’s leadership has attempted to address these challenges by implementing a number of strategies. While these strategies have had an impact, they have failed to fully fix the challenges. The research will seek to identify the underlying causes of the challenges and recommend strategies that promise to transform the school into a high-performing institution.
To fully understand the purpose of the research that will be conducted, it is necessary to provide some background information on Welch Middle School. The school’s primary mandate is to provide its students with educational opportunities that allow them to excel (“The History of Welch”, n.d). This school recognizes the critical role that technology plays in facilitating student achievement. As part of its campaign to set students on the path leading to success, the school leverages modern technology with the goal of providing learners with the skills they require for critical thinking. Welch Middle School is not isolated as there are thousands of schools in the US which are integrating technology into learning (Kotrlik & Redmann, 2009). Cultural diversity is yet another component of the school’s operations (“The History of Welch”, n.d). The school strives to ensure that its student population reflects the demographic and cultural diversity of American society.
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Now that the background information has been provided, the set is stage for an overview of how the research process will be conducted. As already noted, the research will aim to identify the challenges confronting Welch Middle School and the measures that the school can adopt to address these challenges. To determine these challenges, an observation of the school’s operations will be conducted. It is hoped that the observation will reveal the main hardships that are hampering performance. Apart from the observation, key stakeholders in the school will be consulted. In particular, the school’s leadership will be asked to share their thoughts on the issues plaguing the school. Combined with the direct observation, the insights from the stakeholders will highlight the need for Welch Middle School to take corrective action. A review of literature will also form part of the research process. The purpose of this review will be to identify best practices that schools can adopt to improve performance and fix challenges.
A goal-driven approach is one of the pillars of credible research (Strang, 2015). This is why the research on Welch Middle School will be goal-driven. The main goal of the research will be to determine challenges and to identify the things about the school’s operations that are working well. In conducting the research, guidance will be sought from the concept of appreciative inquiry (AI). Essentially, AI is concerned with identifying issues that are effective and finding ways to further enhance their effectiveness (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2010). Using this concept, it is hoped that deep insights into the operations of Welch Middle School will be gained. While the research process is promising, there are concerns that some hurdles will be encountered. Lack of cooperation from the school’s stakeholders is among these hurdles. For the research process to run smoothly, the stakeholders need to provide information. If they fail to offer insights, the entire process could be compromised. It is hoped that the stakeholders will be forthcoming with details of the school’s operations and the challenges faced.
References
The history of Welch Middle School. (n.d). Welch Middle School. Retrieved September 18, 2018
From https://www.houstonisd.org/domain/7648
Kotrlik, J. W., & Redmann, D. H. (2009). Technology adoption and use in instruction by
Secondary technology education teachers. Journal of Technology Education, 21 (1),
44-59.
Strang, K. D. (2015). Developing a goal-driven research strategy. In Strang, K. D. (Ed.). The
Palgrave handbook of research design in business and management. New York: Palgrave
MacMillan.
Whitney, D. D., & Trosten-Bloom, A. (2010). The power of appreciative inquiry: a practical
Guide to positive change. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
